Dhulikhel Workshop
CEAMP/PSU organised the progress review and networking workshop of Village Environmental Development Fund (VEDF) management teams and Village Environmental Facilitators (VEFs) from September 12-14, 2006 in Dhulikhel. The highlights of the workshop were the presentations by Indian experts and formation of the VEDF association's Ad hoc Committee.

Mr. K.P. Singh, Director for Extension Directorate, Govind Ballabh (G.B.) Pant University, was the Chief Guest. Mr. Narayan Gyawali, Under Secretary/NPD, Ministry of Local Development also spoke on the occasion. Mr. Singh's presentation was followed by presentations from Mr. P.K. Sircar, Medicinal Plants Entrepreneur, Dr. S.S. Parihar, Principal Scientist, Division of Seed Science & Technology, from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), and Mr. Vijay Singh, Secretary of Flower Growers Association of India and Chairman of Uttaranchal Floriculture Federation Ltd. Mr. Yvan Shea, the Canadian Project Advisor (CPA), CEAMP also presented a concept paper on how to converge the VEDFs into an able and permanent group association during the workshop.

The members of the Ad hoc Committee were as follows:

CEAMP's First Technical Mission to India
A technical mission to India was conducted for CEAMP’s key Development Officers in July 2006. The mission provided CEAMP personnel the opportunity to meet with Indian research workers and professionals involved in improving the sustainability of agricultural productivity. The mission meetings, dialogue and field sessions focused on common interests and issues, sharing of lessons learned, and building on past experience. The technical mission to India is one of the activities included in CEAMP’s fourth annual work plan.

The objective of CEAMP's first technical mission to India was improvement of sustainable agricultural productivity in CEAMP’s areas in Nepal by linking with India’s knowledge base via networking with more developed organisations and regions. Development of linkages with two institutions, the Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), facilitated the achievement of CEAMP’s objectives.

More specifically, the participants of the mission observed first-hand:

• How Indian approaches can be incorporated in Sustainable Agriculture, Rural Environment and Development (SARED)
• How extension programmess are facilitated
• How trainers are trained
• The contribution of G.B. Pant University/IARI approaches to improved productivity in the rural agricultural context
• Demo Plots of Hill Agriculture, Horticulture, Floriculture, Medicinal Plant Cultivation
• Animal Husbandry and Fodder Plots

CEAMP's technical mission to India sought to introduce participants to two prominent institutions to open a dialogue and learn from their experience in:
• Supporting collaborative environmental management at the community level
• Coordinating/linking the efforts of diverse groups working toward sustainable environmental management
• Technology transfer from research to farmers

CEAMP's Second Technical Mission to India
The second technical mission to India was conducted in October 2006 for CEAMP’s key field-level staff members and other stakeholders, namely, Village Environmental Facilitators (VEF), Village Environmental Development Fund (VEDF) members and Village Development Committee (VDC) secretaries.

The participants of the mission observed first-hand:
• How extension programmes are facilitated, i.e., through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) or Farm Science Centres in Majhera (Nainital District) in the hilly region of Uttaranchal and Kashipur (Uddham Singh Nagar) in the Terai.
• Kisan Mela (Farmers’ Fair) where relevant information and technology were disseminated through interaction and agricultural products exhibited.
• Farmer-to-farmer level extension.

The proposed technical mission provided the participants with the opportunity for theoretical and technical capacity building, thereby enhancing the skills of project stakeholders via:
• Learning about G.B. Pant University approaches/models for improving Sustainable Agricultural Productivity and Environmental Governance within the overall context of SARED
• Sharing lessons learned by the G.B. Pant University
• Learning the specific applications of G.B. Pant University for improving agriculture in Hill and Terai regions through visits to Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) or Farm Science Centres and participation in Kisan Mela (Farmers’ Fair)
• Increasing agricultural productivity by transfer of technologies appropriate for application in the agricultural sector of Nepal, thereby, providing continuity to the process of linkage with India’s knowledge base.

(See photo gallery)

CEAMP has supported to strengthen environmental planning and programming, which has significantly improved the scope and quality of environmental planning and programming at community level.

• Village Inquiry for Rural and Environmental Systems Appraisal (VIRESA) leading to VEDP have been completed in all CEAMP’s VDCs through genuine participatory approach in all CEAMP’s VDCs.
• 20 Village Environmental Development Plan-Schema (VEDP-Schema) have been completed through participatory approach.
• 20 VEDP-WP (work plan) have been completed.
• All (20) VEDP-WP have been kicked-off for implementation since May 2005.
  Click here for Key Achievement.